[Albion] So, 3 PL games in, are we a real threat?

[el punal]

Edit...** A general threat to the established order of things as far as normal PL outcomes are concerned **

We are playing some slick footy and sitting in a comfy position after three decent results, better than most of us might have expected before the season started I'm sure.....however.... I wonder, probably controversially if I know this board, if we have been helped by the rub of the green a bit here.... as welcome as that 'rub' is of course.

1) Everton - At least two laughable misses by the opposition and a penalty that could easily have gone either way.

2) Man U - Marginal disallowed goals and some inexplicable defending at the end.

3) Arse - Saka and Odegaard uncharacteristic misses of virtual tap-ins plus the welcome but again marginal red that on another day could have seen Veltman off.

I do of course refuse to look into the mouths of these particular gift horses.... it's all looking good so far.

The answer to all of the above - ‘you make your own luck’.

 

[nickbrighton]

Its often said that the table is meaningless before 10 games have been played- I think that may be a bit long, but 3 is far too early to be extrapolating anything. If we are still top 4 after 6 or 7 games then we can start thinking that yes, we are a threat to the top third, and dream of a European place. However, given the massive fall off last year (I know, injuries had a massive part in that) I wont be looking past the 40 point mark for a while

 

[jimhigham]

In order for any team to really trouble the European places, they'll need to put a good string of results together. That's something we spectacularly failed at last season after the opening six weeks. To really be a force, we need a win at all costs mentality. We'll know a lot more about that after the next two matches.

 

[Mr Bridger]

We’ll get dicked at home to Ipswich to bring us back down to earth just like West Ham did last year.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Its often said that the table is meaningless before 10 games have been played- I think that may be a bit long, but 3 is far too early to be extrapolating anything. If we are still top 4 after 6 or 7 games then we can start thinking that yes, we are a threat to the top third, and dream of a European place. However, given the massive fall off last year (I know, injuries had a massive part in that) I wont be looking past the 40 point mark for a while

We'd be very unlucky to experience the same level of injuries (especially given we've less matches to play).

A manager who stays engaged for the complete season, should also help.

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

1) Everton - At least two laughable misses by the opposition and a penalty that could easily have gone either way.

2) Man U - Marginal disallowed goals and some inexplicable defending at the end.

3) Arse - Saka and Odegaard uncharacteristic misses of virtual tap-ins plus the welcome but again marginal red that on another day could have seen Veltman off.

Come the end of the season, pretty sure you could break down every result in this manner, for or against and argue either we or our opposition benefited from the ‘rub of the green’ one way or the other without factoring in the reality that we DEFINITELY have an influence on the ‘rub of the green.’

You’ve gotta be in it to win it (in other words we have to have generally speaking, been ‘competitive’ in a game) for these kind of nuances to be discussed with hindsight as a factor in the ultimate result, otherwise we’d be saying the usual things like: ‘we could still be playing now and we wouldn’t score’ etc

 

[kevo]

I agree we have been a bit lucky so far (apart from the injury to O'Riley, of course), but as others have said we have new faces to come in and the squad is only going to get stronger. It's great we've got seven points from those three opening games without playing particularly well, so let's build on that.

 

[Lethargic]

Shouldn't the real question be ... who do you see as a threat to us?

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Without wanting to piss on anyone's chips, and with the caveat that I'm absolutely ecstatic about the start we've had, I feel we have been a wee bit lucky, certainly in our last two games.

Everton we basically dominated and rightly smashed.

We were a knee away from going 2-1 against United which may have been the final result.
Arsenal were on top before Rice got himself a second yellow.

That said of course - suck it United and absolutely suck it Arsenal, you bunch of weirdos.

It's too early to tell. We look good, very good at times. But we could have easily lost the United and Arsenal games and be sat on three points right now. We'll have a clearer picture when we've played some more of our usual bogeymen - the teams that camp the box and hit us on the break.

Disagree that Arsenal were on top, after the first twenty minutes we settled and it was 50/50 other than a mistake by Dunk. The sending happened too early in the second half to draw any conclusions.

 

[nickbrighton]

We'd be very unlucky to experience the same level of injuries (especially given we've less matches to play).

A manager who stays engaged for the complete season, should also help.

i agree, less matches and a much deeper squad if we do get injuries. I'm quietly confident and upbeat about our prospects, however, 3 games in is VERY early to be thinking about lifting cups or finishing top six

 

[chickens]

We'd be very unlucky to experience the same level of injuries (especially given we've less matches to play).

A manager who stays engaged for the complete season, should also help.

This, RDZ did great things in his first season with us, but was found out all too regularly in his second.

I have respect for the guy, I don’t subscribe to the idea that he’s clueless or was just lucky, but I don’t believe he’s a viable long-term solution for any club because he can’t help burning his bridges, and becomes moody and irritable as he does so.

His demeanour in his second season compared to his first was night and day. There were few smiles, lots of veiled comments about the squad/lack of reinforcements, he seemed to feel we were getting in the way of his vision.

I expect Marseille will do very well this season, but let’s see if he (and his squad) are still looking chirpy next. FH strikes me as far better balanced, though I suppose only time will tell.

 

[heathgate]

I agree we have been a bit lucky so far (apart from the injury to O'Riley, of course), but as others have said we have new faces to come in and the squad is only going to get stronger. It's great we've got seven points from those three opening games without playing particularly well, so let's build on that.

I am hopeful, especially if we get 6 in the next two home league games...before we go to the Bridge.

 

[heathgate]

Given that he's had one great half at Everton, one massively underwhelming performance against United, and one hard-working effort at Arsenal, I'd say we don't actually have much of a definitive assessment of Minteh yet, either.

Against Man U in particular he seemed to get narrower and thus less ball to run with....but that may have been the plan.

 

[GT49er]

It's not the first season we've started well, even in the PL. We often seem to do better with the sun on our backs too, rather than in the cold mirky depths of winter.
We've started well, that's good. We've hardly seen our new players yet - we'll have to wait and see how good they turn out to be for us.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

We are going to win the league.

 

[kevo]

After Ipswich and Forest will give us a better idea. 'Winnable' games, but of course we have been there many, many times before!

I'd actually be surprised if we won both, but if we did it would put us in a great position to face the rest of the season, especially with the new players coming in.

 

[Napper]

It's not the first season we've started well, even in the PL. We often seem to do better with the sun on our backs too, rather than in the cold mirky depths of winter.
We've started well, that's good. We've hardly seen our new players yet - we'll have to wait and see how good they turn out to be for us.

didnt we top it for a bit the last 2 years.

Also when Potter left quite early on , seem to recall were top 4.

Funny as remember when southampton topped premier league few years back and how crazy it was but we've done it

Maybe wrong on some bits ,

 

[Sussexscots]

Given that he's had one great half at Everton, one massively underwhelming performance against United, and one hard-working effort at Arsenal, I'd say we don't actually have much of a definitive assessment of Minteh yet, either.

Fair point.

I thought he also looked comfortably at home in the games v QPR and Villareal so I think there are grounds for being highly optimistic where he's concerned.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

After Ipswich and Forest will give us a better idea. 'Winnable' games, but of course we have been there many, many times before!

I'd actually be surprised if we won both, but if we did it would put us in a great position to face the rest of the season, especially with the new players coming in.

It is FIVE YEARS since we have won three PL home matches in a row

In eight seasons in the Premier League, we've only twice managed to win three home games in a row.

West Ham, Swansea and Arsenal in March 2018, and then Spurs, Everton and Norwich in October 2019.

 

[Pliny the Gull]

Let you know in January when we come up against low press sides in bottom six.
Hopefully there will be a plan b this season.